August 2012
Communicator Welcome Center now open at Central Middle School…
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Where a World Class Education Begins n order to provide new students and families with the best experience possible, a new Welcome Center is now located at Central Middle School (CMS).
“The Welcome Center reflects the District’s commitment to building strong and enduring relationships with each and every family,” shared Kristin Tollison, administrator for the Welcome Center. “Many families are anxious to be a part of the Wayzata Schools and all of us in the Welcome Center strive to connect with them to help ease the transition and get students off to a great start!” Beyond registering new students for school, the Welcome Center will also introduce families to other services they may need that are also located at CMS including: special education, pre-school screening, Family Learning Center classes, Home Base before and after-school programs, and various other district programs and services. For more information about the Welcome Center or student enrollment, call 763-745-5200.
Fifth grade students Johnny Garcia and Elaina Wollerman will be using digital learning devices like the iPad in their classrooms as part of the district’s “My Way” initiative to increase student learning and engagement.
“My Way” will put the world in students’ hands
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y the time incoming Wayzata fifth graders Johnny and Elaina graduate from high school in 2020, the world will be very different than it is today.
Technology, information and digital content will continue to multiply at increasing rates, which will require them to have new and different skills to be successful in the future. The “My Way” Student Learning Initiative is the name of the long-term effort underway in the Wayzata Public Schools to make sure that Elaina, Johnny and each and every one of our 10,400 students are prepared to thrive today and excel tomorrow in an everchanging global society. The initiative will begin putting digital learning devices (iPads) in the hands of students at certain grade levels later this school year to increase student learning and engagement. “The goal of the ‘My Way’ Student Learning Initiative is to put the world in our students’ hands,” shared Jill Johnson, executive director of teaching and learning. “My Way” goes far beyond just giving students iPads. “It is a learning initiative aimed at providing all students with individualized learning experiences
that stimulate creativity and imagination. We want students to experience, connect and interact with the world in ways that traditional textbooks and curriculum alone can’t provide.” Work continues on a three-year, phase-in plan that outlines how the learning devices will be deployed to provide our students with personalized learning experiences focused on the 21st Century work skills needed for success. Students at certain grade levels, still in the process of being determined, will begin working with iPads sometime during the second half of the 2012-2013 school year. Staff professional development is a critical component to the success of “My Way”. Over the summer, more than 100 teachers have been trained as part of the “My Way” Implementation Leadership Team to be liaisons within their buildings to help inform, instruct and model appropriate and effective instructional strategies using iPads. By the time school starts, the majority of licensed, certified staff will have received an iPad and some initial training to get started. “In order for the ‘My Way’ Student Learning Initiative to be successful it will require all of us to rethink the way we teach and the way students learn,” emphasized Shelly Nelson, director of curriculum. Watch for more information about “My Way” in the October issue of the Communicator.
New communications tools launched
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s part of our commitment to better connecting with families and community residents, a number of new and improved communications tools are being put in place this fall.
Sign up to receive emergency text messages Parents and guardians now have the option to receive text messages, in addition to phone calls and email messages, for emergency and other essential school communications. Parents interested in receiving text messages will have to opt-in to accept the charges for which standard text message rates apply. To sign up to receive text messages: 1. Login to Family Access through the district website, www.wayzata.k12.mn.us. Click on the Family Access button in the upper right hand corner. 2. After you log in, click the Skylert link under the General Information heading. 3. Click the Edit button. 4. Confirm and edit your communications preferences. (If you opt in to receive text messaging the standard text message rates do apply.) 5. Check and/or uncheck the boxes next to your numbers and email addresses to choose which kind of notification you would prefer to receive. Additional phone numbers and email addresses are configured based on the secondary contact information located in Family Access. 6. Click Save when complete. New email messages will provide general information and updates Schools and departments throughout the district will begin using a new email software this fall to share general information and updates on a regular basis. Parent newsletters, elementary Thursday Folders, announcements and other general information will be sent directly to parents and guardians using a new email format that is visually-appealing, easy-to-read and links to the district web site for more information. There is no need to sign up to receive these emails as long as your information is up-to-date in the Family Access system. Web site improvements underway Since launching the new web site last year, we have gathered feedback from parents, staff and community members in an effort to continuously improve. Based on this feedback, watch for improvements to the web site this fall that will make it even easier to find the information you need about our schools. For more information about Family Access, call 763-745-6014.
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Rendering of new WHS scoreboard.
New WHS scoreboard will celebrate all students
The Wayzata High School Boys Track and Field Team won the 2012 state championship. Pictured from left to right, front to back are coach Mark Popp, Elliot Johnson, Michael Smith, Scott Sippel, Brian Jarvey, Derek Peterson, coach Sean Geisen and coach Eric Jahn; back row coach Gary Danielius, head coach Aaron Berndt, Jeff Borchardt, Nick Martin, Josh Thorson, Ethan Zeidler, Jarod Jackson, Brandon Strickland, Tyler Berry, Chris Pierson, Joey Kolpin, coach Bill Miles, James Smith and Connor Olson.
WHS boys track and field team wins state championship
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he Wayzata High School Boys Track and Field Team won the AA State Championship held at Hamline University on June 8-9. This is the team’s fifth state championship with previous championships earned in 1995, 1984, 1980 and 1977. The Trojans finished in second place in 2011, third place in 2010 and second place in 2009. Team members include: seniors Elliot Johnson, Scott Sippel, Josh Thorson, Jarod
Jackson, Tyler Berry, Brandan Strickland, Ethan Zeidler, Nick Martin and Brian Jarvey; juniors Derek Peterson, Jeff Borchardt and Chris Pierson; and sophomores Michael Smith, James Smith, Joey Kolpin, and Connor Olson. Coaches for the track team include Head Coach Aaron Berndt and assistant coaches Sean Geisen, Eric Jahn, Bill Miles and Mark Popp. All-state finishers include: Chris Pierson, Michael Smith, Jarod Jackson and Jeff
Borchardt for the 4x200-meter relay (state runner-up); Brian Jarvey, Michael Smith, Jarod Jackson, James Smith for the 4x400meter relay (state champions); and Brian Jarvey, Scott Sippel, Derek Peterson and James Smith for the 4x800-meter Relay (State Champions); Nick Martin for the 110-meter high hurdles; Ethan Zeidler for the long jump; Brandan Strickland for the triple jump; Josh Thorson for the 3200-meter race; and Michael Smith for the 400-meter race.
Eight middle school students from Wayzata Public Schools won this year’s Northwestern University Midwest Talent Search. The students were honored at the May school board meeting. Pictured above from left to right receiving recognition at the board meeting are Gayathri and Gowri Rao from EMS, Ryan Wang, Daniel Qu and Jeffery Lee from CMS and Joseph Chen from WMS. Not pictured are William Drew and Mina Yuan.
Eight middle school students win Midwest Talent Search
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ight middle school students from Wayzata Public Schools won this year’s Northwestern University Midwest Talent Search (NUMTS). Eighth grade students Joseph Chen from West Middle School (WMS), Gayathri Rao and Gowri Rao from East Middle School (EMS), Jeffery Lee, Daniel Qu and Ryan Wang from Central Middle School (CMS) and seventh grade students William Drew and Mina Yuan from CMS all scored in the top 1.5 percent of students in their grade level who took the ACT and/or SAT above-grade-level in the eight state region. This year, more than 22,000 students participated in the NUMTS.
Qualifying as a NUMATS award winner is a great honor and indicates that Wayzata Public Schools teachers and the schools are doing a remarkable job preparing them to become lifelong learners. Because WPS teachers Julie Light, Kathy Simson and Katie Tanke made this opportunity available to students, the teachers now have access to recommendations in the NUMATS Toolbox that will help teachers differentiate and develop these students’ incredible talent. In addition to the educational benefits for these students, district teachers also now have access to free professional development webinars and other resources in the NUMATS Toolbox.
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roject Score is the initiative to replace the aging, obsolete Wayzata High School (WHS) stadium scoreboard with a digital, multi-sport video scoreboard through the generosity of community sponsorship and private donations. Work started in early August to construct the scoreboard with the installation of steel beams in the ground. The scoreboard itself was delivered in pieces to the field and crews worked throughout the third week of August to lift, install and wire the components to the steel framework. The new scoreboard will stand approximately 45 feet tall and its video display technology provides an opportunity to showcase and celebrate the many successes of the WHS student body. “We will be able to promote non-sport activities and school successes on the video board. We can promote math club, the musical, the debate team and other activities that deserve recognition,” said Ron Fiemann, a lacrosse booster representative. The scoreboard will make its debut at the first girl’s varsity soccer game on Thursday, August 23 and with sponsor highlights at the first home football game on Thursday, August 30. A committed group of parents and community leaders have worked for two years to bring Project Score to fruition. In cooperation with Wayzata Public Schools and the city of Plymouth, the Wayzata Athletic Boosters launched Project Score as a model to build a revenue stream uniquely for athletics through ongoing paid business sponsorships and private donations. “Sponsorships are almost sold out and our private donation campaign will run through the school year,” said Matt White, current booster president. The high school students in teacher Jean Zimmerman’s advanced television production classes will be the producers of the student videos and other scoreboard content. “This project provides excellent opportunities for our broadcast television students to produce, film, direct and edit events for the school,” said Zimmerman. For more information about Project Score, visit www.wayzataboosters.org.
Senior art students win awards
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ayzata High School seniors Ana Christina Plansky and Kaitlin Hacket recently won awards for
their artwork. Plansky earned a first place congressional award for a photograph that won a Minnesota Scholastic Art Gold Key award. Hacket won a first place award in the 2012 North Dakota/Minnesota Jewelry Show for a necklace she designed. Lindblom Jewelers purchased the necklace to add to its collection.
3 Celebrating our journey…
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n December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright made history. After years of tenacious persistence, their dream was realized with the first successful flight of a motor-powered airplane in Kittyhawk, North Carolina. And the entire world just watched as NASA’s Curiosity Spacecraft touched down August 6 after a 255-day, 354-million-mile journey landing exactly in the crater they targeted on the surface of Mars. So what do the Wright Brothers and NASA’s Mars Mission have to do with Wayzata Public Schools? They had a dream…to fly…to land on their exact target millions of miles away. They stayed focused and figured out how to make their dreams a reality. And through persistence, teamwork and lots of hard work they achieved their vision. The Strategic Roadmap for Wayzata Public Schools is intended to serve a similar purpose as that established by the Wright Brothers and NASA’s Mars Mission scientists. Building on a solid tradition of excellence, we embarked on a journey that led to the creation of the Strategic Roadmap that will lead us into the future.
Our journey started with the review and updating of the district’s Mission, Vision and Strategic Directions; along with the development of new Core Educational Values, and resulted in the creation of this new Roadmap. The Roadmap pairs up with the operational principles developed previously by the district’s administrative team to collectively provide us with the guidance and direction necessary to deliver the best possible educational experience for students and families. Building on our tradition of excellence, the School Board approved the new Strategic Roadmap in December 2011. Now we are working hard to determine what needs to happen across the district to bring the words of the Roadmap to life for students. What actions do we need to take to ensure a world-class education that prepares each and every student to thrive today and excel tomorrow in an ever-changing global society? We have a Roadmap to guide us on our journey and we are busy creating strategies to ensure we determine and arrive at the desired destination. During the upcoming school year we will be sharing
Superintendent’s Column
“We have a Roadmap to guide us on our journey and we are busy creating strategies to ensure we determine and arrive at the desired destination.”
— Chace Anderson, Superintendent
regular updates on our progress. We are looking forward to a great school year for all Wayzata students and “Celebrating our Journey” along the way!
Wayzata students continue to excel on state assessments
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ayzata Public Schools’ students scored well on the State accountability tests again this year. Results from the 2012 tests, released August 1, show that 91 percent of Wayzata students are proficient in reading and 84 percent are proficient in math. The accountability tests measure how Minnesota students are doing on grade level academic standards in reading and mathematics. The results include student performance from three state tests including: the MCA (Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments), MCA-modified and MTAS, an alternative assessment for special education students with severe cognitive disabilities. “Our students continue to do very well on the state tests and we are pleased to see growth at many grade levels,” shared Stacey Lackner, director of research and evaluation for the Wayzata Public Schools. On the accountability tests, each student earns a score that falls into one of four achievement levels: • Does not meet the standards • Partially meets the standards • Meets the standards • Exceeds the standards Students who meet or exceed the standards are considered to be proficient in the subject area. Individual student’s results will be sent to parents early in the school year. This report gives parents information on their child’s reading and mathematics skills and shows their child’s performance compared to other students taking the assessments. School and district staff will also use this information to improve teaching and learning. The following are highlights of Wayzata students’ success: Reading • The largest increase from 2011 to 2012 in reading was 6 percentage points in grade 8. • Compared to the 2011 results, the percent of students proficient on the 2012 reading accountability tests remained the same at the elementary level (grades 3-5), increased 2 percentage points at the middle school level (grades 6-8) and increased 3 percentage points in high school (grade 10). Mathematics • The largest increase from 2011 to 2012 in mathematics was 19 percentage points in grade 8. • Compared to the 2011 results, the percent of students proficient on the 2012 mathematics accountability tests increased 5 percentage points at the elementary level (grades 3-5), 11 percentage points at the middle school level (grades 6-8) and 1 percentage point in high school (grade 11). For more information about the accountability tests, contact Stacey Lackner at stacey.lackner@wayzata.k12.mn.us.
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everal new administrators have been hired by Wayzata Public Schools since the end of the 2011-12 school year as replacements for employees that have left the district or moved to new positions. The following new administrators began their new positions with the district this summer.
Jim Bollum
Jim Bollum is stepping into the associate principal position at West Middle School (WMS). Bollum is coming from the freshman class associate principal position at Wayzata High School and brings the perspective of what middle school students’ next step is in their educational career. “I’m mostly looking forward to getting to know and work with a new age group of students,” said Bollum about the new position. Working at WMS will also give him the opportunity to learn some new
skills, meet and work with new staff and experience some of the new programs at WMS. Bollum said his big project this summer has been to learn how to develop a building schedule for the year. He’s also been excited to start working with the school’s bullying prevention program and the math and reading interventions. “I have a passion for working with kids and am really looking forward to getting to know the families at West,” said Bollum.
Jim Bollum
Stephanie Bruggers Stephanie Bruggers has been named the new ninth grade associate principal at Wayzata High School (WHS). Bruggers comes to WHS from Osseo Public Schools where she taught ninth grade social studies for 11 years at Maple Grove Junior High and served as an instructional coach for the teaching staff at both Maple Grove and Osseo junior highs for the last two years. She said she’s looking forward to the opportunity to work at Wayzata High School. “Outside of the district, Wayzata has a fantastic reputation and I’m fortunate to be part of it,” she said. After spending the last two years working only with teachers, Bruggers said she is very excited to go back to working with students. “I missed the daily interaction with students,” she said.
She has been working on Back-to-Business projects for WHS since she started in July and is preparing for freshman orientation and the start of school. She’s looking forward to being able to work with incoming ninth grade students and see them as they progress through the school, which is different from her past district where ninth grade was in the junior high and she didn’t have the opportunity to see the students continue to progress through her building. Bruggers has a Bachelor of Arts in social science and secondary education from the College of St. Benedict in St. Joesph, Minnesota, a Masters in arts and education from St. Mary’s University in Winona, Minnesota and her administrative license from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. Stephanie Bruggers
Sarabeth deNeui Sarabeth deNeui will be stepping into the principal position at Plymouth Creek Elementary School during Karla Thompson’s yearlong sabbatical and she’s excited about getting back into an elementary school. “It’s where my teaching roots are,” said deNeui, explaining that all of her classroom experience in her career was in an elementary school. She is arriving at Plymouth Creek after spending two years as the sophomore class principal at Wayzata High School. She has two children at the elementary age level and her husband is an elementary
school teacher so she relates well with the perspective of elementary parents and teachers. In addition to deNeui, there are also 27 new staff members at Plymouth Creek for next year. “It’s a year of fluctuation, but we want to provide the same experience that everyone has come to expect at Plymouth Creek,” said deNeui. She has been meeting one-on-one with staff throughout the summer to get to know them on a personal level and learn their strengths in order to continue to provide the high levels of student achievement at the school.
Sarabeth deNeui
Clark Doten
Clark Doten, formerly the associate principal at West Middle School, officially assumed his role as Central Middle School’s principal in July and is looking forward to the start of the school year. Doten has been spending time meeting staff members and familiarizing himself with building initiatives. First and foremost is the school’s new homework initiative. This plan is being launched this year at Central Middle School. Student grades will be based on assessments and projects that reflect student learning. Homework will be used to monitor and reinforce student progress towards the leaning goal, but will not be counted towards the grade. More information about
homework and grading will be sent home in the back-to-school letter arriving in mid-August. Another new development for CMS will be the implementation of the Olweus anti-bullying curriculum. This program empowers students and teachers to intervene on bullying incidents as they occur. Students will develop skills in the advisory program on how to deal with bullying in a variety of circumstances. Doten is excited about his new role, and is looking forward to meeting the parents and students of Central Middle School!
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Clark Doten
Welcome
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Welcome to new staff members continued Ross Downing Ross Downing has moved from teaching English on the first floor of Wayzata High School to the 10th grade associate principal’s office. Downing said he really enjoys being part of the administrative team. He has always had respect for the philosophy of the school’s administrative team and is excited to be on the other side of the equation that “always comes back to what is best for the students and teachers.” He’s going to miss the opportunity to build relationships with students
over the course of a semester and get to know them really well as a teacher, but he’s excited about the opportunity to get to know more students as a principal and to work with his colleagues in a new capacity. Downing earned his undergraduate degree at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and holds a Master’s degree in English education and K-12 administrative license from St. Mary’s University in Winona, Minnesota.
Ross Downing
Steve Root Steve Root, retired principal of Central Middle School, accepted the position of interim principal at Birchview Elementary School and will be leading the school this year while the search for a long-term principal candidate is conducted. “When I left Central Middle School I was curious and a little anxious to see what the future would hold,” said Root. “I was open to new experiences and I wasn’t tired of the job,” Root said explaining his continuing interest in public education. He said the offer to lead Birchview through next year was an exciting opportunity that while unexpected, was the perfect next step. “I loved that month of retirement,” joked Root. He said he received a phone call
from Superintendent Chace Anderson to offer him the position and thought, “I knew there might be something in education out there for me, I just didn’t suspect it would be in Wayzata and so soon.” Since he started the position at the end of July, Root has been meeting with staff members at Birchview to learn their needs and how he can support them next year. He said he’s looking forward to the opportunity to work with a new staff, new students and in a new environment. Root started his career at Wayzata High School, when it was located in Central Middle School, and then moved to the principal position at Central Middle School from which he retired this spring after a 37-year career in Wayzata Public Schools. Steve Root
Jon Deutsch Jon Deutsch was named the district’s new director of facilities and transportation this summer. Deutsch came to the district from Burnsville, Eagan, Savage Public Schools where he was the director of operations and properties for four years. The position he has taken in Wayzata Public Schools is a new position that merges the oversight of buildings and grounds and the district’s transportation services. “Wayzata has a history of being very good at what they do,” said Deutsch about why he’s excited about the position. “People in public education continually look to see what Wayzata is doing,” he said. Since he started in July, Deutsch has been getting to know his staff and becoming familiar with the projects currently in process in the
district. He said he’s looking forward to being a part of the “get ready for school” process and helping to meet the transportation needs of all students. He said what has impressed him the most since he started is the work culture at Wayzata Public Schools and the ownership that the buildings and grounds staff have shown through their upkeep and pride in the school buildings. Deutsch has a four-year degree from St. John’s University in St. Joseph, Minnesota in biology and environmental studies and his Master’s degree in project management from St. Mary’s University in Winona, Minnesota. Jon Deutsch
Wayzata Public Schools’ facilities planning: We’re making progress
Summer Construction Update
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everal construction projects were completed this summer to maintain the quality of our schools and facilities. At the elementary schools—restroom upgrades, lighting replacements, parking lots and sidewalk replacements were made. At the middle schools—classroom upgrades were completed, kindergarten classrooms (Plymouth Creek Elementary extended-day kindergartens will be at the Family Learning Center, located in Central Middle School, for one year.) and a district Welcome Center were created by repurposing existing space, outdoor athletic track repairs were completed, light fixtures and interior and exterior doors were replaced and a new boiler was installed. At the high school—Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) controls were upgraded, the exterior wall system was repaired and resurfaced and two classrooms were repurposed.
Elementary School Additions & Attendance Boundary Study Begin this Fall
Last spring, the Wayzata School Board approved additions to Greenwood, Oakwood and Sunset Hill Elementary Schools to meet the needs of our growing resident elementary student population. Work will begin on the additions this fall with completion scheduled in time for the 2013-2014 school year. Along with the new additions, a committee will begin meeting this fall to study boundary/attendance areas in order to balance the number of students in each of our seven elementary and three middle schools once the new space is in place. Community feedback will be gathered and a recommendation will be brought to the School Board in December. Any approved changes to attendance areas will take effect for the 2013-2014 school year.
BLOCK Time registration open for fall session
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egistration is now available for Wayzata Public Schools’ Family Learning Center BLOCK Time for the session that runs September 17 through November 30. BLOCK Time is the popular drop-off program for children 16 months to 5 years at Wayzata Public Schools Family Learning Center. By pre-paying at $8 per hour for an 8-10 week session (depending on the day of the week), you are guaranteed a two and a half hour slot for your child every week, same day and time. BLOCK Time curriculum is licensed and internationally accredited. The Family Learning Center is located at Central Middle School, 305 Vicksburg Lane, Plymouth. On-line registration begins Aug. 20 at www.wayzata.k12.,mn.us/ces (select Registration, then Early Childhood.) For more information, call 763-745-5290 .
6 Safety at CMS crosswalk improved through partnership
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pedestrian-activated warning device for the crosswalk on Vicksburg Lane at Central Middle School (CMS) was installed this spring thanks to the partnership and generosity of the Plymouth Community Foundation. The Foundation approached the city of Plymouth seeking to fund a project that would enhance school safety at one of the schools in the city. District Electrician Dan Carlson and Plymouth Public Works Director Doran Cote met with Foundation representatives to discuss options, which included roadway lighting at Wayzata High School and other traffic control opportunities. District and Plymouth staff were already exploring the idea of the warning device at CMS and Foundation representatives agreed it would be a good fit and a great safety improvement opportunity. The Plymouth Community Foundation donated more than $5,000 for the purchase of the pedestrian activated warning device and the city and Wayzata Public Schools worked cooperatively to install the device in May.
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A donation from the Plymouth Community Foundation made this pedestrian-activated warning device at the Central Middle School/Vicksburg Lane cross walk possible. At right, District Electrician Dan Carlson worked with Plymouth Public Works crews to install the system in May.
Plymouth Creek Math Masters teams take top honors
hree teams of students from Plymouth Creek Elementary competed in the Math Masters competition last spring, placing in the top 10 with one team taking third place. Math Masters is a competition in which fifth grade Vision 21 students compete. The teams from Plymouth Creek competed against 34 other teams on April 28. This competition is held throughout Minnesota and Western Wisconsin and students compete in three different sets of tests. All students must solve 75 fact problems individually. Then, again individually, students complete three tests,
each consisting of eight math problems. The last set of three tests are team tests with each team of five students working together to solve 10 problems. All three teams, coached by Plymouth Creek Vision 21 teacher Vaira Druva, placed in the top 10 with one team taking third place. The third place team included students: Geoffrey Chen, Sophia He, Sean Kim, Grace Ma and Dhruv Sehgal. On the fact test, two students, Geoffrey Chen and Raiki Numata, tied for first place and Sean Kim took third place. On the individual tests, Geoffrey Chen took second place.
The Plymouth Creek Math Masters team took top honors last spring.
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Automated phone notification for bus delays
f necessary, the automated phone notification system will be used to notify parents in case of bus delays. Calls can be made by bus route number on morning, afternoon and kindergarten routes. In order to provide consistency among schools and to create common expectations for parents on when they may be notified, the following guidelines have been established: Weather-related or district-wide delays • If situations arise – such as delays caused by serious inclement weather or by local traffic issues – that will cause bus delays of more than 25 minutes affecting all or multiple schools, the decision to initiate a parent call will come from the district’s transportation department. School offices will be notified when these calls will be made. • These calls will be sent to all parent phone numbers
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included in the Family Access system. General delays • It is assumed that the expected departure time for buses from a school’s parking lot is within 10 minutes after the dismissal time. • If a bus or buses are late in leaving a school’s parking lot (25 minutes after dismissal time or 15 minutes after expected departure time), a call may be made to alert parents of the late bus or buses. This decision is at the discretion of the principal. • The calls will be sent to only those parents of students on the buses that are late. • These calls will be sent to all parent phone numbers included in the Family Access system. • Similar guidelines will apply to morning bus routes. If a
bus is going to be more than 15 minutes late in picking up students, a call may be made to parents. The guidelines for general delays do not apply to the following situations: • First two weeks of school in the fall – it takes up to two weeks to make adjustments to the bus routes. • Late-run activity buses. • Special transportation including special education and early childhood special education – notification will be handled by First Student and the district’s transportation department. • Transportation of Choice Is Yours students – notification will be handled by Watts Transportation and the district’s transportation department.
School closings or late start information
f inclement weather forces Wayzata Public Schools to close, start late or dismiss early, one of the three following announcements will be made: 1. Two-hour late start: All K-12 schools will open two hours later than regular start times. Morning kindergarten classes will be cancelled. All Family Learning Center (FLC), Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE), Peppermint Fence programs, and community education’s morning classes and activities will be cancelled. Home Base programs will open two hours later than regular start times. All
after-school and evening classes and activities will meet as scheduled. 2. No school: All K-12 schools will be closed for the entire day. All FLC and ESCE classes, activities and athletics will be cancelled for the day. All community education after-school activities including Home Base programs will be cancelled. Evening community education and ECFE classes will also be cancelled. 3. Emergency early dismissal: All K-12 schools will close early and students will be sent home. If school is dismissed early, the buses will pick up students in the following order:
• Dismissal #1 – Wayzata High School, Greenwood and Oakwood • Dismissal #2 (will begin about 55 minutes after dismissal #1) – Central, East and West middle schools, Holy Name, St. Bartholomew, Redeemer Lutheran and FAIR School shuttles • Dismissal #3 (will begin about 45 minutes after dismissal #2) – Birchview, Gleason Lake, Kimberly Lane, Plymouth Creek, Sunset Hill and Blake-Highcroft FLC and ECSE classes and activities for the remainder of the day (afternoon and evening) will be cancelled. All community education
after-school and evening classes will also be cancelled for the balance of the day. If possible, a decision to close or delay the start of school will be made by 5:30 a.m. School closing or late start announcements for Wayzata Public Schools will be on WCCO 830 AM radio; WCCO-TV Channel 4; KSTPTV Channel 5; KMSP/FOX-TV, Channel 9; KARE-TV Channel 11; and posted on the district’s website at www.wayzata.k12.mn.us. Phone calls using the district’s emergency notification system will also be made to all parents and staff members.
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In Brief WPS grounds to be treated The lawns and playfields at all sites in the Wayzata Public School District will be treated with a weed and feed product on August 24-26. A licensed, professional company will treat lawn areas at the Administration Building, Central Services Facility, Birchview Elementary, Gleason Lake Elementary, Greenwood Elementary, Kimberly Lane Elementary, Oakwood Elementary, Plymouth Creek Elementary, Sunset Hill Elementary, Central Middle School, East Middle School, West Middle School and Wayzata High School. Although the fields can be used shortly after treatment, any person with sensitivity or allergies to these products should take precautions. Specific information may be obtained at each school or at the Central Services Facility. If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact Central Services Facility at 763-745-5150.
DECA students place well Students from Wayzata High School placed well at the state DECA competition and at the 2012 International DECA Competition held April 28-May 2 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The following WHS students placed well at state and earned a trip to the international competition: • Alissa Heiring, senior, earned third place at state in retail merchandising • Stephanie Heiring, junior, earned third place at state in principles of hospitality and tourism • Michael Jagerson, junior, earned third place at state in finance operations research The following three students participated in four different areas at the International Career Develoment Conference: • Jenny Caffoe, senior, presentation of small business enterprise • Clair Egan, junior, role playing of real world situations • Sarah Gove, senior, senior management institute • Maxwell Hanson, senior, presentation of small business enterprise • Alissa Heiring, role playing of real world situations • Stephanie Heiring, role playing of real world situations • Michael Jagerson, business research paper and presentation of promotional situations • Peter Lorbiecki, senior, role playing of real world situations • Sam Majka, senior, role playing of real world situations • Alec Paulson, senior, presentation of small business enterprise • Emily Paulson, freshman, role playing of real world situations • Evan Schnetzer, senior, role playing of real world situations DECA, an Association of Marketing Students, provides students marketing-related and leadership-development activities that enhance classroom study toward careers in marketing, management and entrepreneurship. The students are advised by WHS teacher David Chvojicek.
2012-13 school board meeting schedule
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he following is the schedule of Wayzata School Board meetings for the 2012-13 school year. • August 13 — regular meeting • August 27 — work session • September 10 — regular meeting • September 24 — work session • October 8 — regular meeting • October 22 — work session • November 12 — regular meeting (start time at 6 p.m.) • November 26 — work session • December 3 — special work session • December 10 — regular meeting • December 17 — work session • January 14 — organizational/regular meeting • January 28 — work session • February 11 — regular meeting • February 25 — work session • March 11 — regular meeting • March 25 — work session • April 8 — regular meeting • April 22 — work session • May 13 — regular meeting (start time at 6 p.m.)
• May 20 — work session • June 10 — regular meeting • June 24 — work session The start time of regular meetings is 7 p.m. Work sessions begin at 4 p.m. A list of agenda items for each work session, regular and special board meeting is posted in all district buildings prior to the meeting and on the district’s website (www.wayzata.k12. mn.us). Regular board meetings are held in Wayzata City Hall, 600 Rice Street, Wayzata, and work sessions are held in the board room of the District Administration Building, 210 County Road 101 North, Plymouth. In addition, all regular board meetings are scheduled to be cablecast live and replayed on ED’s TV, the West Metro Education Channel. ED’s TV can be found on the following channels: • Cable Channel 22 — Comcast Cable, Plymouth and northwest suburbs • Cable Channel 19 — MediaCom Cable, Wayzata and Lake Minnetonka area • Cable Channel 17 — Comcast Cable, Minnetonka and southwest suburbs (replay only) For replay dates and times, check the “School Board Meetings” section of the ED’s TV web pages on the district’s website.
WHS Science Olympiad team takes second place in Minnesota
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he Wayzata High School Science Olympiad team took third place in Minnesota at the state competition held at the University of St. Thomas last spring. A team of 15 students competed in 23 different areas of science at the state level. The following WHS team members earned individual medals at the state competition: • Christian Fagre, senior, third place in forestry • Megan He, junior, first place in water quality • Jacob Kautzky, senior, first place in
chemistry lab and fourth in Fermi questions • Jenny Lai, junior first place in water quality and fourth in disease detectives • Xun Liu, senior, second place in thermodynamics and fourth in optics • Mahati Pidaparti, senior, third place in protein modeling • Ivan Poteryakhin, senior, first place in chemistry lab and third in protein modeling • Caroline Qian, senior, fifth place in forensics, fifth place in rocks and minerals • Abram Sanderson, junior, fourth place in Fermi questions • Miri Shoi, junior, fifth place in forensics
• Alec Spencer, senior, first place in tower, fourth place in gravity vehicle • Emily Wen, junior, third place in forestry and third in protein modeling • Amy Xiong, junior, second place in dynamic planet, third in remote sensing and fourth in gravity vehicle • William Zeng, sophomore, second place in thermodynamics and fourth in optics • Roy Zhao, junior, second place in dynamic planet, third in remote sensing and fourth in gravity vehicle
Immunization program planned for WPS
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innesota law requires immunizations, or written proof of exemption, for school-age children to attend school. Parents and students are encouraged to work with their primary care clinic to assure that immunizations are up-to-date. The Park Nicollet Foundation, through its Healthy Communities Initiative, is collaborating with 22 school districts (including Wayzata Public Schools) and area primary care clinics to help meet these requirements. As part of the “No Shots, No School” program, clinics allow “enhanced access” for children needing immunizations. This program is available in August and the first two weeks of September. A parent or legal guardian must be present during immunizations. If possible, parents should bring their children’s immunization history.
Participating clinics have agreed to: • Provide immunization-only visits usually on a same-day appointment basis • Immunize children without requirement of a doctor visit or preventive care exam at that visit • Immunize children not previously established as patients with the clinic • Provide immunizations to children with no direct charge to families Local clinics participating in “No Shots, No School” are listed on the district’s website. Please call ahead to arrange an appointment for an immunization-only visit.
Wayzata Public Schools 2012-13 calendar now available
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he Wayzata Public Schools’ 2012-13 district calendar is now available. Calendars have been mailed to all families in the district and extra copies are available in all district buildings. Call the district office at 763-745-5000 to request a copy.
District opens new Welcome Center
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WHS sports schedules are online
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he most current schedules for all Wayzata High School athletic teams are available online. For current and up-to-date athletic schedules and directions, visit the Lake Conference website, www. lakeconference.org and click on “Wayzata High School” and pick the schedule you are interested in. Directions to athletic venues can also be found on the site. You can also go to www.wayzata.k12.mn.us/whs/ and click on “Athletics and Activities” in the menu bar. Smartphone users may scan the code at right to quickly access the athletics calendar page on the website.
Change in complete meal requirements
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nder the new Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act (passed by Congress in January 2012), students this year will need to have at least a half-cup portion of a fruit, vegetable or a combination of both on their tray to qualify for the “complete meal” price of $2.50 for elementary and $2.85 for secondary. Our staff will be helping students make sure they have at least three food groups on their tray, with the fruit and/or vegetable being one food group. Studies show that if children put fruit or vegetables on their own lunch trays, they are more likely to eat them. Please help your child ease into this new rule by serving fruits and vegetables for snacks and at mealtimes. Parents are encouraged to expose their children to new fruits and vegetables and model good eating habits by eating fruits and vegetables. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Anderson, supervisor of Culinary Express, at 763-745-5153.
Nonprofit Org. US Postage PAID Wayzata, MN Permit 43
In order to provide new students and families with the best experience possible, a new Welcome Center is now located at Central Middle School (CMS), 305 Vicksburg Lane in Plymouth. More information about the district’s Welcome Center can be found on page 1 of this issue.
The Communicator is published for residents and staff of Wayzata Public Schools. Contact Amy Parnell director of communications and community engagement, at 763-745-5068 or amy.parnell@wayzata.k12.mn.us with questions or comments.
Communicator
Wayzata Public Schools 210 County Road 101 N. P.O. Box 660 Wayzata, MN 55391-0060
August 2012
WPSEF needs support to continue its mission
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he Wayzata Public Schools Education Foundation (WPSEF) was formed in June 2003 by a group of concerned parents and community leaders committed to ensuring academic excellence across the district despite unreliable state and federal funding for public schools. WPSEF’s sole focus is to maintain and sustain the high quality of education in Wayzata Public Schools. With the support of community donors, WPSEF’s “From Excellent to Exceptional” grant program has funded more than $100,000 in
curriculum-based educational projects in the Wayzata Public Schools since 2007. Students in grades K-12 in all district schools have benefited from these grants. In order to continue to support academic excellence in our schools, WPSEF needs help. Consider making a monetary donation to WPSEF. Your donation will have a direct and immediate impact on the children in Wayzata Public Schools. Please complete the donation card below and mail this, along with your check, to the address indicated on the card.